yanderpool



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. A. VANDERPOOL. GLosED GONDUIT PoR BLBGTRIG RAILWAYS.

No. 487,654. Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

l BY ATTY'S- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet A. A. VANDERPOOL. oLosED ooNDUIT P03 ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No. 487,654. Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

1in-Inu @a2-QM J/,LbI/'Onlm landelpaol, LLM

BY ATTY'S.

UNTTen STATES PATENT Cierres,

ALBION ALEXANDER VANDERPOOL, OF NEWARK, NE\V JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVID H. BARNETT, OF SAME PLACE.

CLOSED C ONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,654, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed March 18, 1890. Serial No; 344,290. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern: cal longitudinal section taken on line y. Fig. Be it known that I, ALBION ALEXANDER 4 is an enlarged section of the contact-foot,

VANDERPOOL, a citizen of the United States, and Fig. 5 is an end view of a clamping-plate residing at Newark, in the county of Essex for holding a certain slot-closer in position.

5 and State of New Jersey, have invented cer- In the drawings, o, indicates the road-bed 55 tain new and useful Improvements in Conduits of the street or way, b b the car-rails arranged for Street-Railways, &c.; and I do hereby detherein, and c is an electric conduit, which is clare the following to be a full, clear, and expreferably disposed midway between said act description of the invention, such as will rails, the upper face thereof lying flush or ap- 1o enable others skilled in the art to which it approximately flush with the surface of the said 6o pertains to make and use the same, reference road-bed. being had to the accompanying drawings, and The conduit c consists, preferably, of a meto letters of reference marked thereon, which tallic trough d, provided with a longitudiform a part of this specification. nally-slotted upper plate or part e, through I5 The object of this invention is to provide which the contact-foot f, extending down ward 65 an electric conductor for street or other railfrom the car, extends to the conducting-wires ways which, while being arranged beneath g, arranged within the interior chamber h of the surface of the street, where it will not be said trough. The said footf may be provided exposed to view to any objectionable degree with rollers t', brushes, or other appropriate zo and where it will necessitate the use of uncontactsurfaces,whereby the electric current 7o sightly poles and other rigging to render it or force may be transmitted from said wire operative, will be more efficient in its operathrough the legj ot' said foot to the motor in tions. the car or vehicle.

The more specific advantages and results The conducting-wire is preferably arranged z5 sought to be gained are to more perfectly preat the upper part of the chamber and is insu- 75 vent dust and dirt from entering and clogging lated from the metallic trough by non-conthe conduit and moisture from gaining acducting blocks or bearings 7a. The said concess to the conductor, and thereby allowing ductor will thus be protected against leakage a leakage of electric force or power and occaof electric force; but it may be protected or 3o sioning great loss and interfering with the arranged within said chamber in any other 8o movements of the vehicles. appropriate manner.

A further object is to reduce the cost of To prevent surface water, mud, dust, dac., construction and to secure a more perfect from passingthrough the sl'otinto the trough, safety from accidents arising through contact I have provided the conduit with an elastic 35 with the electric conductors. slot-closer, consisting of rubber strips Z or 85 The invention consists in the improved strips of other elastic material, adapted to electric conduit for street or other railways close the slot when the latter is not in use, but and in the arrangements and combinations to give Way to the legas it passes through the of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter slot impelled by the car or vehicle. The rub- 4o set forth, and finally embodied in the clauses ber, however, closely hugs the foot in its 9o of the claim. movement, so that no material opening is Referring to the accompanying drawings, formed through which the water may leak. in which like letters indicate corresponding l prefer to make the elastic slot-closer in parts in each of the several figures, Figure l two parts, as indicated in the drawings, the 45 is a vertical section, taken on line fr, showing said parts being clamped by plates m m, and 9 5 the conduit in connection with a contact-foot thus held in position. Thus held they extend depending from a suitable part of the car or over or across the opening in the trough, the vehicle. Fig. 2 is a plan of the track and parts meeting one another at about the cenconduit and the foot referred to, the latter ter of the slot and forming an impervious 5o being in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a vertijoint. Vhere said leg extends through said Ico joint, the same is provided at the front and rear with wedge-like blades 01' prow-like conformations adapted to force the elastic strips apart without great exertion of power.

I may provide set-screws or take-up screws n for taking up wear on the elastic slot-closer. In lieu ot set-screws I may employ any other means desirable for accomplishing the same result.

Just above the slot. in the conduit I may enlarge the leg, so that a fender p is formed just above the rubber, adapted to force the water away from the rubber before the joint between the parts thereof is opened, as will be understood.

The metallic condnctorsq or connections in the leg are suitably covered with insulation o in any appropriate and eiective manner, and the leg is steadied in its movement by a spring-truck r, having wheels s, which bear on the upper clamping-plate m. The spring t which is suitably secured to the leg, bears down on the truck, the said truck having a vertical play to allow for differences in the relations of parts.

The elastic strips Z may have a metallic backing u to receive the pressure of the setting-screws and secure a uniform bearing of the two strips at the joint.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new isl. In an electric railway, the combination, with a metallic trough closed at the top by longitudinally-slotted plates or parts c c, an elastic slot-closer arranged on said plates or parts, and clamping-plates m for holding the saine in position, of conducting-wires g g, held beneath the plates or parts e e and insulated therefrom, and take-up screws or devices to take up wear on the elastic slot-closers, substantially as set forth.

2. ,The combination of a trough slotted at the top, conducting-wires arranged in Said trough, slot-closers, clamping-plates for holding the same in position, adjusting or setting screws for taking up Wear on said slot-closers, and a leg adapted to be secured to the car or vehicle and provided with a foot to engage said conducting-wires and being wedge-shaped at its forward and rear parts and insulated to prevent the escape of electricity, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the conduit having elastic slot-closers, a leg connected with a car and having a fender for forcing the water, dsc., from the face of said closer before the slot is opened, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with a trough (l, clamping-plates e and m, elastic slot-closers arranged between said plates and engaging one another to form an impervious joint, a legj, having wedge-like edges and fenders, and a spring-truck for steadying said leg, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my. hand this 6th day of March, 1890.

ALBION ALEXANDER VANDERIOOL.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, OSCAR A. MICHEL. 

